GMB Birmingham & West Midlands Region

GMB calls on 15 Birmingham City Councillors to forgo 25% pay rise

GMB CALLS ON 15 BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCILLORS TO FORGO 25% PAY RISE AT A TIME THAT THE COUNCIL BUDGET FACES SEVERE CUTS

If councillors want to acknowledge where the extra workload and responsibilities are they should look to their workforce and not to themselves says GMB

GMB, the union for public sector workers is calling on 15 Birmingham City Councillors to forgo a 25% pay rise backdated to May at a time that the council budget faces severe cuts.

The allowance for five committee chairs rises from £10,000 to £12,500 per year while that for ten district committee chairs goes up from £6,000 to £7,500 per year. The reason given was additional workloads.

Stuart Richards, GMB Senior Organiser, said “Since 2010, the cuts to council budgets have seen significant numbers of staff being made redundant. As a direct result of this, those staff still working for the council have seen their workload increase to a point where services are at breaking point.

Over the same period, council workers have had to endure paltry pay awards that have seen their income fall in real terms.

The fact that councillors have seen fit to give themselves a 25% pay rise due to working harder is a kick in the teeth for the people that actually deliver council services.

If councillors want to acknowledge where the extra workload and responsibilities are, they should look to their workforce and not to themselves. GMB is calling on these councillors to forgo these pay rises until such time as the council can treat its own workers fairly.”